Photo frame and the like

ABSTRACT

A frame for photos and the like is composed basically of two elements: a recessed back member, and a front member conformed to fit loosely within the recess of said back member. The front member has a photo aperture in its front face and is arranged for the insertion of a photo between the front and rear faces thereof. The front member is held in place within the recess of the back member by cooperating magnetic and metallic elements.

o United States Patent [191 [111 3,885,336 Olsen May 27, 1975 [54] PHOTOFRAME AND THE LIKE 3,553,872 1/1971 Ebner 40/152 [75] Inventor: DanielH. Olsen, Toledo, Ohio FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [73] Assignee;Midland Insta-Change Company, 157,620 12/1932 Switzerland 40/152Cincinnati, Ohio Primar Examiner-Robert W. Michell 22 Fld: N .s 1973 Y 1l 8 0V Assistant Examiner-Wenceslao J. Contreras PP 412,832 Attorney,Agent, or FirmMelville, Strasser, Foster &

Related US. Application Data Hoffman [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser.No. 321,134, Jan. 5,

1973, abandoned. [57] ABSTRACT [52] U S Cl to/152' 4O/152 A frame forphotos and the like is composed basically [51] b 1/12 of two elements: arecessed back member, and a front [58] Fie'ld 1 156 member conformed tofit loosely within the recess of 2 said back member. The front memberhas a photo aperture in its front face and is arranged for the insertionof a photo between the front and rear faces thereof. [56] Referencescued The front member is held in place within the recess of UNITEDSTATES PATENTS the back member by cooperating magnetic and metal-652,675 6/1900 Hatton 40/152 li elements, 2,651,867 9/1953 Prew t 40/1522,785,490 3/1957 Fabry 40/ 152 X 18 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures Pl/O TOMBBSBE'G PATENTEB MAY 2 7 [975 SHEET 0 3 OF PHOTO FRAME AND THE LIKEBRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This application is a continuationin-part of an application Ser. No. 32l,l34 filed .Ian. 5, 1973 and nowabandoned.

The present invention has utility for the display of all manner of itemsincluding leaflets, drawings, photographs, advertisements, and the like.It is particularly useful in situations where it is desirable to changethe display at more or less frequent intervals. For purposes ofillustration, it will be described herein particularly for use withphotographs. Photography has become so popular with the improvement ofcameras and film, particularly color film, that it has reached thestatus of a practically universal hobby. With certain cameras and filmsizes, prints are made in standard sizes and photo albums are availablewhich are tailored to such standard size prints. Similarly, photo framesare available in various standard sizes to accept practically anystandard size print. Such frames may be provided with easel backs fordisplay on a table or shelf, or they may be provided with means wherebythey may be hung on a wall.

Such frames usually comprise a main frame element having on three sidesa channel into which are inserted from the open end, first a sheet ofglass, then the photo to be displayed, then one or more sheets ofcardboard, and finally a back member which is provided with the easelprop or a wing for hanging. When it is desired to change the picture, itis necessary to remove the back member and sheets of cardboard beforethe photo can be removed; and then all these elements must be reinsertedafter the new photo has been placed in position. This operation is timeconsuming; and after several changes of photos, the back member becomessomewhat dog-cared so that insertion becomes progressively moredifficult. It is easy to break the glass; and, as a matter of fact, theglass in such frames at the time of purchase often has jagged edges sothat there is always a danger of cutting the fingers.

Frequent changing of photographs occur particularly in families havingvery young children or very young grandchildren. Young parents oftenphotographs their babies at regular intervals of, say, one month, andthey like to display the most current photograph. Similarly,grandparents are usually given photographs of their grandchildren and asthe children grow, they like to change the photographs so as to keep themost recent one on display.

With the foregoing considerations in mind, it is an object of thepresent invention to provide a frame such that the operation of changingthe photo or other matter to be displayed can be accomplished veryquickly and easily without danger and without deterioration of the framewith usage.

It is another objective of this invention to provide a dual pictureframe structure wherein the two frames are retained in operativecombination by magnetic means on juxtaposed front and rear faces of theframes, and a peripheral gap is established when the two frames arenested together, allowing the photo holding front frame to be easilyreceived into and retrieved from the rear frames seat through the rearframes front face.

It has been still another objective of the present invention to providea dual picture frame structure wherein a photo holding front frame isseated on a rear-- frame and held thereto by magnetic means, a portionof the front frames rear face being spaced from the rear frames floor ina manner that allows the front frame to tip relative to the rear framewhen depressed adjacent one edge thereof, thereby allowing the frontframe to be easily retrieved from the rear frame when the frames areassembled.

Essentially, the frame has two parts: a rigid rear member which may haveon its rear face appropriate means for standing or hanging display andhaving on its front face a recess defined by a bezel; and a rigid frontframe member of a size to fit loosely in said recess substantiallywithin said bezel and with a distinct peripheral clearance between saidbezel and said front frame member. A magnet is provided either in thebottom of the recess of the rear frame member or on the rear face of thefront frame member, and a metallic piece is secured to the other of saidframe members. Thus, the cooperation between the magnetic and metallicelements serves to hold the two frame members in assembly with the frontframe member substantially within the bezel, but with no frictionalcontact between the peripheries of the two frame members. The frontframe member has a picture aperture in its front face and a spacebetween the front and rear faces for insertion of a photo. Preferably,the magnet will project somewhat from the surface to which it is securedand preferably the magnet will be centrally disposed with respect to theframe members. Thus, to change photos it is onlynecessary to depress thefront member adjacent an edge thereof, whereupon it tilts slightly sothat the opposite edge can be readily grasped for removal of the frontframe member from the recess. Thereupon, the old photo is simply slippedout, the new one slipped in, and the front member can then be replacedin the recess, all without removing the rigid rear frame member from itsdisplay location.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is aperspective view of one embodiment of a frame according to theinvention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of FIG. 1, showing the relationship of theseveral parts.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the front member.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the rear member.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 1 showinghow a frame according to the invention may be mounted on a wall or adisplay board.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of the front frame member of a slightlymodified form similar to FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 5 of a modified rear frame member.

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing the modified photo framemounted on a wall or display board.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 shows a general view of a typical dual framestructure according to the invention. The frame shown in the drawings isof square format and is of a size designed to accept standard printsfrom the Kodak Instamatic Camera. The rigid rear frame member isindicated generally at 10, the front frame member at 11. The pictureaperture is indicated at 12. The rigid, nonflexible front frame member11 comprises a front face 13 which has the photo opening or aperture 12with the aperture 12 surrounded by a bezel 14. In the particularembodiment shown, the bezel 14 is a separate piece but it of coursecould be integral with the front face member 13. It will be understoodthat the separate bezel may be arranged to be snapped in place or it maybe adhered in place with a suitable adhesive. The advantage of a snap-inarrangement is that the color of the bezel may be changed to harmonizewith the decor of the room where the frame is to be displayed. The rearface is indicated at 15 and it has secured thereto, centrally of itsexternal periphery 15a, a small metallic piece 16. The rear face 15 alsohas a small cutout 17 through which a finger may contact the photographto be removed from the frame.

The front and rear faces are spaced slightly apart by means of a spacingmember 18 which extends around all sides of the front frame memberexcept that side in which the recess 17 is located, thereby allowing aphoto (not shown) to be received between the faces 13 and 15 for viewingthrough the photo aperture 12.

Actually, the front frame member 11 by itself constitutes a completeframe. The rear frame member is slightly larger than the front member 11and is recessed at 19 to accommodate the front member 10. The seat orrecess 19 includes a floor 1% and an open front face defined by a bezel19a. The peripheral geometry of the bezel 19a is the same as theperipheral geometry of the front frame member 11. The member 11 fitsloosely substantially within the bezel 19a when the frame members arenested together, with a distinct peripheral gap or clearance 34established between the external periphery a of the front frame member10 and the adjacent periphery of the bezel 19a. Secured to the member 10in the recess 19 is the permanent magnet 20. The magnet 20 is locatedcentrally of the bezel 19a and is preferably magnetic rubber such as iscommonly used in refrigerator doors. It is common knowledge that themagnetic effect of such magnetic rubber is enhanced if it is backed by ametallic element; and therefore a piece of metal 21 is secured to therear face of the rear member. It is preferably recessed as best seen inFIG. 6. It will of course be understood that the locations of themetallic and magnetic elements may be reversed without departing fromthe spirit of the invention. The magnet 20 and metal piece 16 as shownin FIG. 7, also act as spacers to create a clearance C between the rearface 15 of the front frame member and the floor 19b of the rear framemember. In use, and when the edge 31 of the front frame member isdepressed, the opposite edge 32 is raised up above the bezel 19a byvirtue of the fulcrum point established as at 33, thereby allowing theedge 32 to be grasped easily for removal of the front frame from theseat 19 of the rear frame (see FIG. 7). This tipping feature, along withthe open face of the rear frame defined by the bezel 19 and theperipheral gap 34 between the frames, makes it very easy to receive thefront frame into, and retrieve the front frame from, the rear frame.

The presence of the metallic element 21 on the rear face of the rearmember 10 makes possible a magnetic mounting of the whole frame on abacking element or wall as best seen in FIG. 7. A wall or othersupporting surface is indicated at 22 and has adhesively or otherwisesecured thereto a permanent magnet 23. As clearly seen in this Figure,the permanent magnet 23 may cooperate with the recessed metallic element21 to hold the assembled rame on a backboard or wall. When the frame isto be secured to a backing member as shown in FIG. 7, it is desirable toprovide a plurality of tab members 24 of rubber or plastic sponge typematerial to retain the frame in substantial parallel relation to thebacking surface.

The modification shown in FIGS. 8 to 11 inclusive differs only slightlyfrom that shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 inclusive and therefore like parts havebeen designated by the same reference numerals. Comparing FIGS. 9 and 10with FIGS. 5 and 6, it will be observed that the magnet 20 and themetallic element 21 are mounted on a portion of the recess which iselevated slightly above the bottom of the recess. Furthermore, a seriesof studs are provided about the elevated platform 26 as indicated at 25.The elevation of the magnet 20 and the provision of the studs 25 makesit still easier to remove the front frame member from the recess becausepressure along an edge of the front frame member produces asubstantially greater degree of tilt with respect to the rear framemember, so that it is still easier to grasp the front frame member fromthe opposite edge to remove it from the rear frame member.

Comparing FIG. 11 with FIG. 7, it will be observed that the elevation ofthe platform 26 makes it necessary to use a thicker magnet at 23 when itis desired to secure the photo frame to a supporting surface.

Comparing FIG. 8 with FIG. 4, it will be observed that the notch 17 forfinger access to remove a photo from the front frame element has beeneliminated and instead the rear portion of the front frame element isconfigured as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3. Thus, the photo slot isopen at opposite sides of the front frame member so that a photo may beinserted from either side. Additionally, the edges 17a provide guidesfor marking a print which is longer than the front frame element so thatit may be cut to proper size to fit within the front frame member aswould be the case with photos which are not of square format.

A number of advantages derive from the construction above described.Both front and rear members may be made from plastic by conventionalmolding procedures; and as is now commonly known, such plastic mayembody coloring material. Thus, the rear member 10 may be molded in onecolor while the front member 11 may be molded in a different color. Ifthe bezel 14 is made separate, this bezel may also be molded indifferent colors.

The backing member indicated at 22 in FIG. 7 may itself be a decorativepanel and may be covered with fabric if desired and one or more magnets23 may be provided to hold a plurality of frames according to theinvention. The rear members 10 of the frames may also be permanentlyaffixed in a suitable arrangement on a backboard.

It will be clear that numerous modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. No limitation not expresslyset forth in the claims is intended and none should be implied.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A photo frame and the like, comprising:

a. a rigid rear frame member having a flat-bottomed recess in its frontface defined by an upstanding bezel,

b. a rigid front frame member configured to fit loosely in said recesssubstantially within said bezel with a distinct peripheral clearance,for ready insertion thereinto, and removal therefrom, and having spacedfront and rear faces providing a slot for the insertion of a phototherebetween, said front face having a photo aperture, and

c. cooperating permanent magnetic, and metallic elements, one securedsubstantially centrally of the bottom of said recess and the othersecured substantially centrally of the rear surface of said front framemember, to hold said front frame member releasably within said recess,one of said elements projecting above the surface to which it issecured, whereby pressure on said front frame member adjacent an edgethereof causes said front frame member to tilt with respect to saidrecess to raise the opposite edge above said bezel so that it may begrasped for easy removal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of abutments are providedin said recess, spaced about said element secured in said recess, saidabutments being substantially of the same height above the bottom of therecess as the surface of said element.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said permanent magnetic element issecured in said recess, and said metallic element is secured to the rearsurface of said front frame member.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein a second metallic element is securedbehind said magnetic element.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said second metallic element isrecessed in said rear frame member, and is in contact with said magneticelement.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein pad members are secured to the rearface of said rear frame member adjacent the edges thereof.

7. The device of claim 6, in combination with a backing surface, saidbacking surface having a permanent magnet secured thereto, andcooperating with said second metallic element to secure said structureremovably to said backing surface.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said front frame member has a bezelsurrounding said photo aperture, said last named bezel being a separatepiece and secured in said aperture.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the said front and rear faces of therigid front frame member are spaced apart by spacing elements alongopposed edges thereof, leaving the remaining opposed edges open forinsertion of a photo between said faces.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the said rear face is configuredalong said open edges to provide marking guides for cutting oblongphotos to square configuration to fit said front frame member.

11. A picture frame structure comprising a rigid front frame havingfront and rear faces, means to maintain said front and rear faces inparallel spaced relationship to releasably receive a photograph betweenthose faces for viewing through an opening in the front face thereof,

a rigid, nonflexible rear frame having a floor and an open front facedefined by a rim that cooperates to establish a seat for said frontframe, the external periphery of the. front frame and the rim of therear frame being sized so that a distinct peripheral gap is establishedtherebetween when the frames are nested together, thereby allowing thefront frame to be easily received into and retrieved from the rear framethrough the front face of the rear frame because of the peripheral gapestablished when the frames are nested together, and

magnetic means mounted substantially centrally of the rear face of saidfront frame and substantially centrally of the floor or said rear frame,said magnetic means retaining said frames in operative combination, oneof said means projecting above the surface on which it is mounted,whereby pressure on said front frame adjacent an edge thereof causessaid front frame to tilt with respect to said seat to raise the oppositeedge above said rim so that it may be grasped for easy removal.

12. A picture frame structure as set forth in claim 11 hwerein saidrigid front frame is in the form of a onepiece envelope open along atleast one side edge, and wherein said magnetic means includes a,magnetic element and a metallic element, one of said elements beingsecured to the floor of said rear frame and the other of said. elementsbeing secured to the rear face of said front frame.

13. A picture frame structure as set forth in claim 11 wherein theperipheral geometry of the rim of the rear frame is substantially thesame as that of the external periphery of the front frame.

14. A picture frame structure as set forth in claim 13 wherein the depthof the seat defined by the floor of said rear frame and rim issufficient to prevent said front frame from sliding laterally off saidrear frame, and to prevent the photograph in said front frame fromfalling out of said front frame.

15. A picture frame structure comprising a front frame, means on saidfront frame for releasably retaining a photograph, said front framehaving a rear face and side edges,

a rear frame having an open front face, said rear frame defining a seathaving a floor on which said front frame is mounted, said open frontface at least partially enclosing said side edges of said front framewhen said front frame is mounted on said floor, and means to space atleast a portion of the rear face of said front frame from the floor ofsaid rear frame in a manner that allows said front frame to tip relativeto said rear frame when said front frame is pressed adjacent one sideedge thereof, and

magnetic means fixed to the rear face of said front frame and to thefloor of said rear frame to retain said frames in operative combination,

16. A picture frame structure as set forth in claim 15,

said magnetic means being raised out of the plane of at least one of therear face of the front frame and the floor of the rear frame to spacethe back face of the front frame from the floor of the rear frame whensaid frames are operatively combined.-

17. A picture frame structure: as set forth in claim 16 wherein saidmagnetic means includes a magnetic element and a metallic element, oneof said elements being fixed to the floor of said rear frame centrallyof said rim and the other of said elements being fixed to the rear faceof said front 7 8 frame centrally of said front frames external peissuch that one edge of said front frameis raised above riphery. said seatof the rear frame when said front frame is 18. A picture frame structureas set forth in claim 17 tipped relative to said rear frame bydepressing the opwherein the clearance established between the rearposite edge of said front frame. face of said front frame and the floorof the rear frame

1. A photo frame and the like, comprising: a. a rigid rear frame memberhaving a flat-bottomed recess in its front face defined by an upstandingbezel, b. a rigid front frame member configured to fit loosely in saidrecess substantially within said bezel with a distinct peripheralclearance, for ready insertion thereinto, and removal therefrom, andhaving spaced front and rear faces providing a slot for the insertion ofa photo therebetween, said front face having a photo aperture, and c.coooperating permanent magnetic, and metallic elements, one securedsubstantially centrally of the bottom of said recess and the othersecured substantially centrally of the rear surface of said front framemember, to hold said front frame member releasably within said recess,one of said elements projecting above the surface to which it issecured, whereby pressure on said front frame member adjacent an edgethereof causes said front frame member to tilt with respect to saidrecess to raise the opposite edge above said bezel so that it may begrasped for easy removal.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein a pluralityof abutments are provided in said recess, spaced about said elementsecured in said recess, said abutments being substantially of the sameheight above the bottom of the recess as the surface of said element. 3.The device of claim 1, wherein said permaneNt magnetic element issecured in said recess, and said metallic element is secured to the rearsurface of said front frame member.
 4. The device of claim 3, wherein asecond metallic element is secured behind said magnetic element.
 5. Thedevice of claim 4, wherein said second metallic element is recessed insaid rear frame member, and is in contact with said magnetic element. 6.The device of claim 5, wherein pad members are secured to the rear faceof said rear frame member adjacent the edges thereof.
 7. The device ofclaim 6, in combination with a backing surface, said backing surfacehaving a permanent magnet secured thereto, and cooperating with saidsecond metallic element to secure said structure removably to saidbacking surface.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein said front framemember has a bezel surrounding said photo aperture, said last namedbezel being a separate piece and secured in said aperture.
 9. The deviceof claim 1, wherein the said front and rear faces of the rigid frontframe member are spaced apart by spacing elements along opposed edgesthereof, leaving the remaining opposed edges open for insertion of aphoto between said faces.
 10. The device of claim 9, wherein the saidrear face is configured along said open edges to provide marking guidesfor cutting oblong photos to square configuration to fit said frontframe member.
 11. A picture frame structure comprising a rigid frontframe having front and rear faces, means to maintain said front and rearfaces in parallel spaced relationship to releasably receive a photographbetween those faces for viewing through an opening in the front facethereof, a rigid, nonflexible rear frame having a floor and an openfront face defined by a rim that cooperates to establish a seat for saidfront frame, the external periphery of the front frame and the rim ofthe rear frame being sized so that a distinct peripheral gap isestablished therebetween when the frames are nested together, therebyallowing the front frame to be easily received into and retrieved fromthe rear frame through the front face of the rear frame because of theperipheral gap established when the frames are nested together, andmagnetic means mounted substantially centrally of the rear face of saidfront frame and substantially centrally of the floor or said rear frame,said magnetic means retaining said frames in operative combination, oneof said means projecting above the surface on which it is mounted,whereby pressure on said front frame adjacent an edge thereof causessaid front frame to tilt with respect to said seat to raise the oppositeedge above said rim so that it may be grasped for easy removal.
 12. Apicture frame structure as set forth in claim 11 hwerein said rigidfront frame is in the form of a one-piece envelope open along at leastone side edge, and wherein said magnetic means includes a magneticelement and a metallic element, one of said elements being secured tothe floor of said rear frame and the other of said elements beingsecured to the rear face of said front frame.
 13. A picture framestructure as set forth in claim 11 wherein the peripheral geometry ofthe rim of the rear frame is substantially the same as that of theexternal periphery of the front frame.
 14. A picture frame structure asset forth in claim 13 wherein the depth of the seat defined by the floorof said rear frame and rim is sufficient to prevent said front framefrom sliding laterally off said rear frame, and to prevent thephotograph in said front frame from falling out of said front frame. 15.A picture frame structure comprising a front frame, means on said frontframe for releasably retaining a photograph, said front frame having arear face and side edges, a rear frame having an open front face, saidrear frame defining a seat having a floor on which said front frame ismounted, said open front face at least partially enclosing said sideedges of said front frame when said front frame is mounted on saidfloor, and means to space at least a portion of the rear face of saidfront frame from the floor of said rear frame in a manner that allowssaid front frame to tip relative to said rear frame when said frontframe is pressed adjacent one side edge thereof, and magnetic meansfixed to the rear face of said front frame and to the floor of said rearframe to retain said frames in operative combination,
 16. A pictureframe structure as set forth in claim 15, said magnetic means beingraised out of the plane of at least one of the rear face of the frontframe and the floor of the rear frame to space the back face of thefront frame from the floor of the rear frame when said frames areoperatively combined.
 17. A picture frame structure as set forth inclaim 16 wherein said magnetic means includes a magnetic element and ametallic element, one of said elements being fixed to the floor of saidrear frame centrally of said rim and the other of said elements beingfixed to the rear face of said front frame centrally of said frontframe''s external periphery.
 18. A picture frame structure as set forthin claim 17 wherein the clearance established between the rear face ofsaid front frame and the floor of the rear frame is such that one edgeof said front frame is raised above said seat of the rear frame whensaid front frame is tipped relative to said rear frame by depressing theopposite edge of said front frame.